Tim Bolling - Drum Lessons - Drums & Percussion

Hand Drum & Percussion | Drum Set | Workshops | Belly Dancer Workshops

Experience the joy, passion, and expression of drumming! Learn to play your favorite music on hand drums, drum set, or percussion - Middle Eastern and Belly Dance, Rock, Jazz, Funk, Blues, Latin, and world styles.

Learn rhythms & proper technique; how to play musically and improvise; how to “feel,” count, and notate music; and play along with almost any music! Drumming is also a great way for dancers to gain a deeper understanding of the rhythms that accompany their dancing and finger cymbal playing.

Join in with drum circles, play for dancers, start a band. Tim is a patient and attentive teacher who will create a course to suit your needs.

Hand Drum and Percussion Lessons

Beginning to advanced instruction in Middle Eastern percussion: doumbec (lap drum); riq (Arabic tambourine); tar, daf, and bendir (frame drums); and zils (finger cymbals).

Beginning to intermediate instruction in African and Latin percussion: djembe, ashiko, congas, bongos (hand drums), djun-djun (stick drums), and shakers, bells, and rattles.

Beginning to advanced instruction on the increasingly popular cajon, a traditional Afro-Peruvian instrument that is essentially a tuned box the player sits on while playing the sides. An incredibly expressive instrument that is appropriate for many styles of music, rock to world styles.

Hand drum and percussion lessons are available
as private or group lessons.

Drum Set Lessons

Beginning to advanced instruction in most styles of stick drumming and drum set: orchestral, marching, jazz, funk, blues, rock, hip hop, latin, and world.

Drum set lessons are available only as private lessons.

Lesson Levels
Beginning instruction focuses on proper technique and basic music theory. Rhythm notation, counting, and tempo are related to favorite musical styles to keep students enthusiastic and goal-oriented.

Intermediate instruction continues to build technique and theory. Rhythms and polyrhythms, styles, and songs are learned. Music listening skills are developed, song structure and the role of drumming in the song is explored. Improvisational skills are developed.

Advanced instruction delves into what it really means to support a song, lock in the groove, and what other musicians expect, for most musical styles. Improvisation, technique, and theory are further refined.

Drumming Workshops & Group Performance Opportunities
Keep an eye on Tim’s calendar for upcoming events in conjunction with other local teachers and drummers. Brazilian samba school drumming for parades, drum circles, festivals, Glen Velez’s Handance method workshops, and the Renaissance Pleasure Faire are some of the fun drumming opportunities in Northern California.

Belly Dancer’s Workshops
Taught by Kevin Marshall and Tim Bolling, these two enjoyable and educational three-hour workshops have increased the confidence of beginning to advanced dancers by de-mystifying music and providing a relaxed and supportive atmosphere to experiment and create new moves and ideas. They are an excellent opportunity for teachers to enhance their curriculum and participate in teaching the workshop.

Increasing your confidence in dancing to live music:
Explore rhythms, melodies, and improvisations, and what they mean to you as a dancer. Learn how musicians approach and feel music, and how they relate it to your dance. Gain a deeper understanding of the standard belly dance set, and how to communicate with the musicians as you perform. Ample opportunities to dance and practice to different styles of music.

Understanding rhythms and drum solos (Dancing to a drum solo can be the best part of your day!):
Learn how to interact and communicate with the drummer during a solo to create a unique, fun, and playful performance. Learn how to count with the beat, common rhythms, drum solo patterns, zil patterns, and how a drummer feels music and dance.

To schedule an appointment:
Call (510) 276-7888 or email Tim.

How to start: The first meeting is an interview and mini-lesson to set a course of study and insure we’ll enjoy working together. To schedule an appointment:
Call (510) 276-7888 or email Tim.

Where: Lessons are available in the San Francisco Bay Area at studios in Oakland and San Carlos, or in your home in the East bay. Home lessons elsewhere in the bay area will have travel time reflected in the hourly rate.

Rates: In studio lessons are $45 for 45 minutes. Rates for lessons in your home are determined by travel time, and are generally $50 for 45 minutes. Group rates are $30 for one hour. Beginning and intermediate instruction is on a weekly basis, and all lessons are paid for at the beginning of the month. Advanced lessons can be arranged for different weekly intervals and lesson lengths, with the same rate structure. Instructional materials to start the course of study may be required, available through Tim or online.

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